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Her æþelstan cyning, eorla dryhten, beorna beahgifa, and his broþor eac, Eadmund æþeling, ealdorlangne tir geslogon æt sæcce sweorda ecgum ymbe Brunanburh. Bordweal clufan, heowan heaþolinde hamora lafan, afaran Eadweardes, swa him geæþele wæs from cneomægum, þæt hi æt campe oft wiþ laþra gehwæne land ealgodon, hord and hamas. Hettend crungun, Sceotta leoda and scipflotan fæge feollan, feld dænnede secga swate, siðþan sunne up on morgentid, mære tungol, glad ofer grundas, godes condel beorht, eces drihtnes, oð sio æþele gesceaft sah to setle. þær læg secg mænig garum ageted, guma norþerna ofer scild scoten, swilce Scittisc eac, werig, wiges sæd. Wesseaxe forð ondlongne dæg eorodcistum on last legdun laþum þeodum, heowan herefleman hindan þearle mecum mylenscearpan. Myrce ne wyrndon heardes hondplegan hæleþa nanum þæra þe mid Anlafe ofer æra gebland on lides bosme land gesohtun, fæge to gefeohte. Fife lægun on þam campstede cyningas giunge, sweordum aswefede, swilce seofene eac eorlas Anlafes, unrim heriges, flotan and Sceotta. þær geflemed wearð Norðmanna bregu, nede gebeded, to lides stefne litle weorode; cread cnear on flot, cyning ut gewat on fealene flod, feorh generede. Swilce þær eac se froda mid fleame com on his cyþþe norð, Costontinus, har hilderin, hreman ne þorfte mæca gemanan; he wæs his mæga sceard, freonda gefylled on folcstede, beslagen æt sæcce, and his sunu forlet on wælstowe wundun forgrunde, giungne æt guðe. Gelpan ne þorfte beorn blandenfeax bilgeslehtes, eald inwidda, ne Anlaf þy ma; mid heora herelafum hlehhan ne þorftun þæt heo beaduweorca beteran wurdun on campstede cumbolgehnaste, garmittinge, gumena gemotes, wæpengewrixles, þæs hi on wælfelda wiþ Eadweardes afaran plegodan. Gewitan him þa Norþmen nægledcnearrum, dreorig daraða laf, on Dinges mere ofer deop wæter Difelin secan, eft Iraland, æwiscmode. Swilce þa gebroþer begen ætsamne, cyning and æþeling, cyþþe sohton, Wesseaxena land, wiges hremige. Letan him behindan hræw bryttian saluwigpadan, þone sweartan hræfn, hyrnednebban, and þane hasewanpadan, earn æftan hwit, æses brucan, grædigne guðhafoc and þæt græge deor, wulf on wealde. Ne wearð wæl mare on þis eiglande æfre gieta folces gefylled beforan þissum sweordes ecgum, þæs þe us secgað bec, ealde uðwitan, siþþan eastan hider Engle and Seaxe up becoman, ofer brad brimu Brytene sohtan, wlance wigsmiþas, Wealas ofercoman, eorlas arhwate eard begeatan. |
In this year King Aethelstan, lord of warriors, ring-giver to men, and his brother also, Prince Eadmund, won eternal glory in battle with sword edges around Brunanburh. They clove the shield-wall, they hewed battle shields with the remnants of hammers, the sons of Eadweard, as befitted their noble descent from their ancestors, that they should often defend their land in battle against every hostile people, treasure and home. The enemy perished, Scottish men and seamen, they fell, fated to die. The field flowed with blood of warriors, from sun up in the morning, when the glorious star glided over the earth, God's bright candle, eternal lord, until that noble creation sank to its seat. There lay many a warrior by spears destroyed; Northern men shot over shield, likewise Scottish as well, weary, war sated. The West-Saxons pushed onward throughout the day; in troops they pursued the hostile people. They hewed the fugitive grievously from behind with swords ground sharp. The Mercians did not refuse hard hand-play to any warrior who came with Anlaf over the sea-surge in the bosom of a ship, those who sought land, fated to die in battle. Five lay dead on the battle-field, young kings, by swords put to sleep, likewise also seven of Anlaf's earls, countless of the army, sailors and Scots. There was put to flight the North-men's chief, constrained by need to the prow of a ship with little company: he pressed the ship afloat, the king went out on the dusky flood-tide, he saved his life. Likewise, there also the old campaigner through flight came to his own region in the north--Constantine-- grey-haired warrior. He had no reason to exult about the great meeting; he was bereft of his kinsmen, his friends killed on the battle-field, slain in the strife; and his son he abandoned in the place of slaughter, ground to pieces with wounds, young for battle. That grizzle-haired warrior had no reason to boast of sword-slaughter, old deceitful one, nor Anlaf any more; with their remnant of an army they had no reason to laugh that they were better in deed of war on the battle-field--collision of banners, encounter of spears, encounter of men, trading of blows--when they on the battle field played against the sons of Eadweard on the battle field. Departed then the Northmen in nailed ships. The dejected survivors of the battle, leaving Dinges mere, sought Dublin over the deep water, to return to Ireland, ashamed in spirit. Likewise the brothers, both together, king and prince, sought their home, West-Saxon land, exultant from battle. They left behind them, to enjoy the corpses, the dark coated one, the dark horny-beaked raven and the dusky-coated one, the eagle white from behind, to partake of carrion, greedy war-hawk, and that gray animal the wolf in the forest. Never was there more slaughter on this island, never yet as many people killed before this with the edges of swords: so they tell us in books, old wisemen, since from the east Angles and Saxons came up here over the broad sea seeking Britain, Proud war-smiths, they overcame the Welsh, glorious warriors, they conquered the land. |